There are a few non-paranormal explanations for some of the most common paranormal occurrences. Of course, these explanations won't explain away all claims of the paranormal, but they will help you filter out claims that might be untrue or exaggerated.

You should bear these common causes in mind when reviewing your evidence and deciding the credibility of a witness' story.



1. Pareidolia

Pareidolia is a psychological phenomenon where we perceive patterns in random data. The word is derived from the Greek words "para", meaning something faulty, wrong, or instead of, and the noun "eidolon", meaning image, form, or shape.

The most famous examples of this are the image of a man on the surface of the moon, shapes in the clouds, and even the image of Jesus on a piece of toast or the Shroud of Turin. This principle can explain some photographs of ghosts. The human eye sees a face or human form...